Daniel 5:8
6 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.
7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
10 Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- So all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or interpret it for him.
- KJV
- Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.
- WEB
- Then all the king’s wise men came in; but they could not read the writing, and couldn’t make known to the king the interpretation.
- ASV
- Then came in all the king`s wise men; but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.
- DARBY
- Then came in all the king's wise men, but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation.
- BLB
- Then all the wise men of the king came in, and they were not able to read the writing or to make known its interpretation to the king.
- ÅB
- Da alle kongens vismenn var kommet til stede, var de ikke i stand til å lese skriften og kunngjøre kongen dens uttydning.
- OTB
- Da kom alle kongens vise menn inn, men de kunne ikke lese skriften eller forklare dens mening for kongen.
- B1930
- Da alle kongens vismenn var kommet til stede, var de ikke i stand til å lese skriften og kunngjøre kongen dens uttydning.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Daniel 2:27
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
Read in contextDaniel 4:7
Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof.
Read in contextGenesis 41:8
And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
Read in contextIsaiah 47:12–15
Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
Read in contextIsaiah 47:9
But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments.
Read in contextDaniel 5:15
And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:
Read in context